UT rose to No. 3 in the USA TODAY coaches poll after sitting in the No. 4 spot the previous two weeks. Virginia is No. 1 with 10 first-place votes. Duke is No. 2 with nine votes, followed by the Vols with seven and Michigan at No. 4 with four votes.

The Vols have been ranked in the top three of the AP poll for six weeks in program history, three of which have come in the past three weeks. The previous three came in the 2007-08 season, when UT reached the No. 1 ranking for the only time in program history.

Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) goes for a layup during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward John Fulkerson (10) and Wake Forest center Olivier Sara (30) go for a rebound during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) enters the stadium during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard Admiral Schofield (5) shoots the ball during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard Jordan Bone (0) shoots the ball during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee Head Coach Rick Barnes argues a call with the referee during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest center Olivier Sara (30) takes a shot during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest guard Terry Johnson (4) loses control of the ball along the sidelines during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard Admiral Schofield (5) shoots a three during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) dunks during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest Chaundee Brown (23) dribbles down the court during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest center Olivier Sara (30) shoots a layup during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard Admiral Schofield (5) looks for a way around the Wake Forest defense during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest guard Terry Johnson (4) reacts to a play during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Wake Forest guard Brandon Childress (0) dribbles through the Tennessee defense during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

A Vol snowman decoration hangs on a Christmas tree on the court during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard/forward Yves Pons (35) dribbles the ball during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Larry Pratt watches from the court side seats during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee guard Jordan Bowden (23) looks to pass during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward Kyle Alexander (11) eyes a loose ball during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) looks for a way around Wake Forest forward Ikenna Smart (35) during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee forward Grant Williams (2) high-fives Tennessee guard Admiral Schofield (5) after making a point during a game between Tennessee and Wake Forest at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee on Saturday, December 22, 2018. Calvin Mattheis/News Sentinel

Tennessee opened the season ranked No. 6, then rose to No. 5 the following two weeks.

UT opened with blowouts against Lenoir-Rhyne and Louisiana. It then won hard-fought games against Georgia Tech and Louisville before falling to Kansas 87-81 in overtime and dropping to No. 6.

The Vols won two more blowouts after losing to Kansas, but slipped to No. 7 after Michigan rose to No. 5. They've been on the rise since, winning six in a row.

The Vols debuted at No. 6 in the AP poll this season, trumping the previous high preseason ranking of No. 7 entering the 2007-08 season. The Vols received one first-place vote.

UT has been ranked No. 1 only one time in school history. Ranked No. 2, the Vols won at No. 1 Memphis 66-62 on Feb. 23, 2008. UT became the No. 1 team in the country but it lasted just a week as the Vols lost their next game, 72-69, at Vanderbilt on Feb. 26.